muffuletta

Muffuletta or muffaletta is a type of round Sicilian sesame bread, as well as a popular sandwich, created by a Sicilian immigrant to the United States, that was popularized in the city of New Orleans.

==Etymology, pronunciation, and orthography== The name is believed to be a diminutive form of muffi ('mold', 'mushroom'), perhaps due to the round sandwich bread being reminiscent of a mushroom cap; more likely from mùffula, 'muff', 'mitten'. Another theory suggests a possible French origin, considering that the word "mou" in French means "soft", referring to the tender and spongy texture of the bread. An alternative hypothesis points to a Saxon origin, due to the similarity with the English word "muffin", which refers to a small cake or bun, also known for its soft consistency. The forms muffoletta and its iterations are modern Italianisms of the original Sicilian. Like many of the foreign-influenced terms found in New Orleans, pronunciation has evolved from a phonetic forebear.